Now I was standing in the kayak, hugging the tree. My nerves were in full throttle, and my knees were quivering violently. I tried to calm myself, but I could not regain control of my nerves. I knew that my shaking legs would betray me and that I would take a spill....For the next five minutes, I weighed my options as I stood in my kayak with my arms clung to the tree.